The present invention relates to compositions, and in particular, to bottom antireflective coating compositions (or “BARCs”), for use in microelectronic applications. In the microelectronic industry there is a continual need for microchips that have smaller and more defined lithography patterns. Problems facing these developments today include deterioration of the developed photoresist profile, due to the reflection at the interface of the photoresist layer and the substrate, and the need for a thin resist layer to accommodate shorter exposure wavelengths, and which has sufficient etch resistance. Antireflective coatings can be used to address the above problems.
The cure catalyst plays a vital role in properties of the final antireflective coating, such as photospeed and pattern collapse margin. However, stability and litho performance of silsesquioxane prepolymer solutions using conventional cure catalysts have been undesirable. There is a need for improved cure catalysts for use in improved SiARC formulations, and which provide improved stability and improved litho performance.
U.S. Publication No. 2008/274432 discloses a “silicon-containing film” formed from a heat curable composition comprising the following: (A-1) a silicon-containing compound, obtained through hydrolytic condensation of a hydrolyzable silicon compound, in the presence of an acid catalyst, (A-2) a silicon-containing compound, obtained through hydrolytic condensation of a hydrolyzable silicon compound, in the presence of a base catalyst, (B) a hydroxide or organic acid salt of Li, Na, K, Rb or Ce, or a sulfonium, iodonium or ammonium compound, (C) an organic acid, (D) a cyclic ether-substituted alcohol, and (E) an organic solvent.
U.S. Publication No. 2010/0210765 discloses a resist underlayer film-forming composition comprising the following: a polymer having silicon atoms in the backbone; a compound of a polycyclic structure; and an organic solvent. The compound of the polycyclic structure has at least two carboxyl groups as substituents, and the two carboxyl groups are individually bonded to two carbon atoms, adjacent to each other, to form the polycyclic structure. The two carboxyl groups both have an endo configuration or an exo configuration, or a cis configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,029,974 discloses a thermosetting “metal oxide-containing film-forming composition” for forming a “metal oxide-containing film to be formed in a multilayer resist process. The thermosetting “metal oxide-containing film-forming composition” comprises at least: (A) a “metal oxide-containing compound,” obtained by hydrolytic condensation of a hydrolyzable silicon compound and a hydrolyzable metal compound, (B) a thermal crosslinking accelerator, (C) a monovalent, divalent or higher, organic acid having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, (D) a trivalent, or higher, alcohol, and (E) an organic solvent.
International Publication No. WO 2009/133456 discloses an absorption graded, silicon-based antireflective coating and a method to form the same. The method comprises the steps of coating a substrate with an antireflective coating composition, comprising a transparent siloxane, and a light absorbing dye, and heating the coated substrate at a temperature, where a portion of the dye sublimes out of said composition to form a non-uniform, absorption graded, anti-reflective coating layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,026,038 discloses a “metal oxide-containing film,” formed from a heat curable composition comprising the following: (A) a metal oxide-containing compound, obtained through hydrolytic condensation of a hydrolyzable silicon compound and a hydrolyzable metal compound, (B) a hydroxide or organic acid salt of Li, Na, K, Rb or Cs, or a sulfonium, iodonium or ammonium compound, (C) an organic acid, and (D) an organic solvent.
European Application No. EP2172807A1 discloses a thermosetting composition for forming a silicon-containing film in a multilayer resist process, and containing at least (A) a “silicon-containing compound,” obtained by hydrolyzing and condensing a hydrolyzable silicon compound using an acid as a catalyst, (B) a thermal crosslinking accelerator, (C) a monovalent, or bivalent or more, organic acid having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, (D) trivalent, or more alcohol, and (E) an organic solvent.
U.S. Publication No. 2011/0117746 discloses a coating composition comprising an organopolysiloxane, a solvent, and a quaternary ammonium salt or a quaternary phosphonium salt; or a coating composition comprising a polysilane, a solvent, and at least one additive selected from a group consisting of a crosslinking agent, a quaternary ammonium salt, a quaternary phosphonium salt, and a sulfonic acid compound. The polysilane has, at a terminal thereof, a silanol group or a silanol group together with a hydrogen atom.
U.S. Publication No. 2008/0196626 discloses a composition comprising the following: (a) a polymer having at least one repeating unit of formula —[(SiOn/2)(R1)4-n]—, where R1 is a non-hydrolysable group, and n is an integer ranging from 1 to 3; and (b) a crosslinking catalyst. The composition is disclosed as useful in forming low k dielectric constant materials, as well as hard mask and underlayer materials with anti-reflective properties.
U.S. Publication No. 2009/0011372 discloses a silicon-containing film, formed from a heat curable composition comprising the following: (A) a silicon-containing compound, obtained through hydrolytic condensation of a hydrolyzable silicon compound in the presence of an acid catalyst; (B) a hydroxide or organic acid salt of Li, Na, K, Rb or Ce, or a sulfonium, iodonium or ammonium compound; (C) an organic acid; (D) a cyclic ether-substituted alcohol; and (E) an organic solvent.
Additional compositions for antireflective films and/or other electronic applications are disclosed in the following references: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,507,783, 7,303,785, 7,736,837, 5,100,503, 5,621,034, 7,417,104, 6,268,457; U.S. Publication Nos. 2005/0031964, 2009/0148789, 2009/0148789; 2007/0185298, 2010/0086872, 2010/0261097, 2005/0277058, 2006/0278158, 2011/0045404; International Publication Nos. W02009/088600, 2008/061258; European Application No. EP2196858A1; and KR2009084748A (Abstract), KR2010058591A (Abstract). However, there remains a need for compositions for improved antireflective layer compositions which have increased stability and improved BARC performance. These needs and others have been met by the following invention.